COOKIES

Okay, I couldn't wait to try the cookies. The cakes will have to wait.

Of course they were good. It's no surprise. So here is what I think was good about them: the outside crunch like a typical cookie that would be laden with gluten, but a soft-in-the-middle goodness. I liked how they spread as they cooked. The cookie taste was spot on with what I would relate to my favorites of the regular variety- those of the already-made cookie dough kind you find in the refrigerated section.

I will admit, the chocolate chips were tiny and didn't pack enough of a punch with that part of the cookie, but that's easy to solve. When I make these again (which I will for sure stock my pantry with these alongside the brownies) I will be adding extra chocolate chips. Also, please note I probably over-cooked them by not catching my oven timer quick enough. Which is why mine looks darker then the ones on the box. I think next time I will try to follow the guidelines more closely on cooking time. But they still tasted good!

The bottom line is- they are easy to make quickly, yummy, and to be able to have something like this on hand and easily accesable at a grocery store is a dream come true for any family feeding a celiac person (I am only assuming the availablilty ease, as I personally am not aware of where they will be distributed this summer).

I can't find another gf cookie mix I would like better, however, I do prefer the taste of a made-from-scratch recipe I have made in the past.

Note: I did not check the brownie mix and the box is trashed, but I did check the cookie mix and it is not soy or dairy free (someone asked in comments).

gf cookies again

This recipe again, just with chocolate chips instead. Never gets old!

Gluten-Free Peppermint Patty Cookies

Adapted from a recipe I got from Allyson in Utah.

Gluten-Free Peppermint Patty Cookies
Makes about 24 cookies

1 pkg. gluten-free chocolate cake mix (I used Gluten-Free Pantry's)
½ c. shortening
1 Tb. Water
2 eggs
1 tsp. peppermint extract*

Peppermint patties
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 365°. Mix above ingredients, except for peppermint patties and powdered sugar. Roll batter into 1” ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place 2” apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes. Let cool a couple minutes, and while still warm place a peppermint patty into the center of each cookie and press down.

*(checking to see about gluten- might need to omit this ingredient)

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies!

If I could hand you anything I have posted on this site, it would be this cookie. It's my new favorite post. Please, trust me on this one. Get yourself these ingredients and try them out this week. You and your family will thank me.

Adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe.

Gluten-Free Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons gf vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups rice flour

1. Cream butter and cream cheese together until fluffy; add sugar and cream well.
2. Add egg, salt, vanilla, and almond extract; mix well.
3. Add flour and mix until incorporated.
4. Chill dough for several hours or overnight.
5. Roll batter into a ball with hand (think silver dollar size) and press flat with fingers. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 375 degrees just until edges begin to brown (this is 12 minutes in my oven).


Here is the frosting recipe I use from a Betty Crocker Cook Book:

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 + 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 tablespoons milk

Mix sugar and butter. Stir in vanilla and milk; beat until smooth.

Baby Shower Food Week!

So my celiac sister is pregnant, and we just threw a shower for her. It was kind of fun to have an entire party that was gluten free. So to inspire you in your baby shower endeavors, this week we will be posting the different foods we served for our celiac sister to her non celiac friends.

By the way, isn't she lovely?
Here's a sampling of what's to come.

Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 tsp GF vanilla
2 eggs
3 cups white rice flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Mix flour, baking soda and salt together, and then add to the butter mixture. Stir well. Roll into balls. Bake in a 375 oven for 8-9 minutes, or until slightly browned on top. Remove cookie sheet from oven and let cookies cool for a couple minutes. Remove and place on wire rack to finish cooling. Frost as desired.

So all I did here was take Liz's White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cookies and omit the chips and nuts. I tried rolling them out and using cookie cutters, but the cookies turned out very flat. Verrrrrry flat. Rolling them into balls is key, as it cooks them before they have a chance to spread too much. I love the taste of these cookies, in fact many couldn't believe they were gluten free. There is a slight texture issue. They seem to stick to your teeth a bit, but there I go again downplaying the cookies and my sister Beka would be very upset. I used cream cheese frosting, but only because that's what we used on the cupcakes. Cream cheese frosting is not good for cookies that need to be stacked, but it tastes delicious.

GF Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I adapted this recipe from my friend Tania. I am not a big fan of pumpkin flavored things, but this is a hit with me. More chocolate and spice comes out instead of the pumpkin flavor. Most importantly, these cookies are super soft and moist.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ C butter

1 C brown sugar

1 egg

1 C canned pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla

2 C Rice Flour

1 tsp GF baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

chocolate chips

Cream butter & sugar, add egg, pumpkin & vanilla.Then add all dry ingredients, then choc chips.Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. (They're best a little underbaked, so they are still really soft.)

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Gluten-Free White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Be sure to check the bag of white chocolate chips to make sure they are gluten-free (the brand Ghirardelli is not GF, unfortunately).

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened (I use half margarine and half butter)

1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 & 1/2 tsp GF vanilla

2 eggs

3 cups white rice flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups (11oz bag) GF white chocolate chips

1 & 1/2 cups Macadamia nuts, chopped (I only use 1/2 cup, but would still be great with none!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, and beat well. Blend in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in white chips and nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

The trick to these is removing them just as they barely start to brown on top, but do the toothpick check before removing to make sure they are fully cooked. It took my oven 12 minutes exactly. They are the most delicious gf baked good I have ever made, taste like normal, soft and fluffy cookies.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips Cookies

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chocolate chips (I use the whole bag)

1/2 cup crushed peanuts

Stir pb, sugar, egg, baking soda, and salt together. Add chocolate chips and peanuts. Roll into small balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Awesome gluten-free chocolate chip peanut butter cookies (got recipe from you, Melanie)!

Recipe:

2 eggs

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup chocolate chips (oops- I used a whole bag and we loved them!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs. Stir in peanut butter and sugar. Add chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes.